in defense of the nerds

Normal people are terribly dull.

TERRIBLY.

Growing up, I was the oddity that read during recess and every waking moment of my existence. I was the one who waved pencils in the fifth grade at idiots that made fun of me and bellowed, "LOCOMOTOR MORTIS!"I was also the happiest little nerd on the block. I grew up with Anne of Green Gables, Jo of Little Women, Hermione Granger, Petra Arkanian, Lucy Pevensie, Meg Murry,  and Scout Finch. While others were worrying about how popular they were, I was lost in Middle Earth, at Hogwarts, and in Earthsea. I used to have a funny little nose twitch to push my glasses back up on the bridge of my nose. I had braces and clothes from Wal-Mart. I had one or two best friends that knew when to leave me to my reading. I could recite the Greek alphabet that I taught to myself one day "just because" and I loved learning constellations. I even went through a spell where I read every adult biography on Amelia Earhart that I could get my hands on. I had the highest Accelerated Reader points in the school and surpassed former school records. In other words, I grew up with my nose in a book. 

Some would say that living in fantasy worlds as a child doesn't prepare one for the real world. Maybe that's true, but considering that I am now an adult nerd, I don't see how that's such a bad thing. Books became my friends when other kids thought I was weird because I would raise my hand frantically when the teacher asked a question. But I had an amazing childhood. I regret nothing. I grew up to be a well-read individual. 

That being said, when I was attending the midnight premiere of The Hobbit, (in costume of course) and I heard a man who had clearly spent too much time on his comb-over condescendingly mutter, "freaks" in the direction of a few elves, I blanched. Had this man read anything by Tolkien? If he had, maybe he would understand the enormity of just how wonderful these books are. So wonderful that - that maybe some of us feel the need to express our devotion to his genius in costume.

 But I ask you - how is it any different than this?

When one dresses in costume for the sake of something that they are highly devoted to, it exhibits the confidence they have in themselves. I tend to think persons who are constantly chasing the latest fashion trends or are incessantly bothered by what others think of them to be the dullest and most shallow of human beings. Where's the fun in being normal? Stand out! Be an individual. Be weird.